*Chicago Police officers gave Mayor Lori Lightfoot the cold shoulder when she approached them in a hospital following the shooting of two officers on Saturday night.
About 30 Chicago police officers reportedly turned their backs on Lightfoot when she stepped off the elevator to greet them at the University of Chicago Medical Center. The CPD is grieving the loss of Officer Ella French, who was fatally shot during a traffic stop on Saturday night. Her partner was critically injured and he continues to fight for his life at the hospital.
When Lightfoot approached the officers on the 7th floor of the hospital hours after the shooting, they “did the about-face,” the Chicago Sun-Times reports.
“It looked like it had been choreographed,” a source told the newspaper.
READ MORE: Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot to Declare Racism a ‘Public Health Crisis’ in the City (Video)
Her name is Officer Ella French.
She was murdered in Chicago.
Her 2-month old is now an orphan.
And @LoriLightfoot is upset that her anti-police rhetoric is being called out. pic.twitter.com/AATLs76OV2
— Sebastian Gorka DrG (@SebGorka) August 9, 2021
The murder of Officer French comes amid growing talk in the city about police reform. The cops turned their backs on Lightfoot moments after the male officer’s father, who is a retired Chicago officer, blamed the mayor for the shooting. She reportedly treated him with respect as he yelled at her.
“This probably the biggest challenge in terms of policing for the mayor so far. She has to balance the concern that she has for the community, the concerns she has for the police department,” ABC7 Political Analyst Laura Washington said.
In a statement, the mayor’s office said that “in a time of tragedy, emotions run high and that is to be expected.”
It added: “The mayor spoke to a range of officers that tragic night and sensed the overwhelming sentiment was about concern for their fallen colleagues.
“As the mayor stated yesterday, now is not the time for divisive and toxic rhetoric or reporting. This is a time for us to come together as a city. We have a common enemy and it is the conditions that breed the violence and the manifestations of violence, namely illegal guns, and gangs.”
At a news conference on Sunday, Lightfoot called on critics to “just stop” pushing the false narrative that she does not support the CPD.
“There are some who say we do not do enough for the police and that we are handcuffing them from doing their jobs,” she said.
“There are others who say we do too much for the police and that we never hold them accountable for what they do, particularly in Black and brown neighborhoods. To all of this, I say stop. Just stop. This constant strife is not what we need in this moment. Of course, we have to continue the journey to achieve constitutional and accountable policing. That cannot be in debate at this point.”
She also urged Chicagoans to thank police officers for their efforts.
“These officers deserve to make it home safely, today, and every day. We owe them a debt of gratitude that we will likely never be able to truly repay,” she said.
Two brothers, 21 and 22, are charged over murder of cop Ella French, 29, who was shot dead at traffic stop: Chicago police turn their back on Mayor Lori Lightfoot as injured officer’s father YELLS at her and blames her for shootinghttps://t.co/jLvh1dvFoh
— Jack Posobiec ???????? (@JackPosobiec) August 10, 2021
The three individuals who were in the car at the time of the traffic stop have been arrested. All three are reportedly Hispanic.
Emonte Morgan, 21, is facing one count of first-degree murder, two counts of attempted murder and one count of unlawful use of a weapon by a felon, per the report. His brother, Eric Morgan, 22, faces charges of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, unlawful use of a weapon by a felon and obstruction of justice.
The woman who was in the car was not charged.
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